1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method of bar code decoding and also a bar code decoder in which the data acquired by a bar code scanner is evaluated to determine if a scanned bar code symbol is within an acceptable working range of the bar code scanner. More particularly, the subject invention pertains to a method of bar code decoding and a bar code decoder as described in which the working range of the bar code scanner can be selectively changed. In the method and the bar code decoder of the subject invention, if the scanning distance is determined to be too far, a flag is set in software which prevents a new decode from being counted, but still keeps the intermediate decode result in memory to indicate that the bar code symbol is still in the scanner's field of view.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Prior art bar code scanners and decoders have generally employed a fixed working range, in some products typically from contact to seven or eight inches. Under some operating conditions, a bar code positioned at a critical distance from the scanner near the end of its working range, e.g., at seven or eight inches, can result in an erroneous decoding of the bar code or multiple different decodes of the same bar code, which is obviously not acceptable as it results in erroneous data entries.